On Pitta longipennis and Pitta reichenowi. 1)1 



eared Wheatear ((Enant he albicollis Vieill. 1818, not Saxicola 

 aurita Teram. 1820, as cited by the former writer) may be 

 separated into two forms, an eastern and a western repre- 

 sentative, and Mr. Whitaker has proposed the name Saxicola 

 catarina for the latter or western form. It is quite true that 

 eastern examples may be distinguished from those of the 

 western portion of this Whcatear's range, and the differences 

 as given by him are correct, as I have ascertained by the 

 examination of a large series in the National Museum at 

 Buda-Pest; but as both forms have already received names, 

 Mr. Whitaker's name is merely a synonym. 



Yicillot's (Enanthe albicollis inhabits, he states, the 

 southern provinces of France, Italy, and Spain, and is 

 clearly the western form, whereas llemprich & Ehrenberg 

 describe the eastern form under the name Saxicola amphi- 

 leuca (Syrnb. Phys., Avcs, fol. bb, footnote 4, 1829) from 

 the Lebanon. The eastern form will therefore stand as 

 Saxicola amphileuca Herapr. & Khrenb., and the western as 

 Saxicola albicollis (Vieill.). 



I may here also remark that the Pied Wheatear may be 

 separated into two forms or races by those ornithologists 

 who elect to recognise subspecies, as the western form is, 

 as a rule, somewhat smaller, has the black band on the 

 back narrower, and the outer tail-feathers, as a rule, quite 

 white. If, however, Mr. Whitaker is correct in his state- 

 ment (Bull. B. O. Club, xiii. p. 15) that in the eastern form 

 the sexes arc alike, whereas in the western form they differ 

 in plumage, the two must be recognised as good species, and 

 in such case the eastern will stand as Saxicola lugens Lieht. 

 and the western as Saxicola halophilu Tristram. 



VIII. — Remarks on Pitta longipennis lieichenow and Pitta 

 reichenowi Madardsz. By 1!. Bowdler Sharpe, LL.l). 



(Plate IV.) 



Dk. von Madarasz has very kindly sent over to England 

 for my examination the type of the Pitta described by him 



